Volkswagen's Tiguan Allspace to Debut in Detroit, But You'll Call It a Tiguan
Volkswagen will showcase its extended-wheelbase, seven-seat Tiguan Allspace at next month’s North American International Auto Show — hoping to use the crossover to curry favor with the United States in the wake of its diesel emissions scandal.
The 2018 Tiguan Allspace should serve as a cheaper alternative to larger three-row SUVs, similar to Nissan’s Rogue with its optional family package. It should also serve as a way to coax crossover-crazy Americans back into VW’s warm embrace.
The Allspace, which will just carry the Tiguan name in North America, is over eight inches longer than the standard overseas-only Tiguan, with four of those inches added onto the wheelbase. Current test models of the Allspace are minimally camouflaged, indicating that it will look almost identical to the standard model. The rear door appears to be slightly longer, along with a larger greenhouse. However, the overall shape, proportions, and cutline still make it look like a less flowing BMW X5.
Adding an optional extra row of seating should make it a popular choice for burgeoning families, but perhaps not an ideal one for adult children. It’s difficult to imagine those rearmost seats being spacious, considering the stretched SUV is still not a massive vehicle. The seats can slide to give rear occupants added legroom and easier access, however.
The United States can expect Volkswagen’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, while European customers can expect other options, including a diesel.
If Volkswagen can price the newly enlarged Tiguan sensibly, it could be a big hit in the States. The existence of other three-row compacts and abundance of larger SUVs with more interior volume means VW can’t stray too far from the base MSRP.
The longer variant of the Tiguan will premiere in January at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show. Beginning in the early part of summer, the Tiguan — with up to seven seats — will launch successively in North America, China and Europe.
[Image: Volkswagen]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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I agree with the rest of the posters - it is a nice looking car but it will be priced much higher than its competition. The only people I see buying one are those who they're getting superior "German Engineering". As a current GTI owner I can attest to the fact that when the warranty runs out be prepared for some very expensive repairs. VW will run it right up your arse.
So are they going to call the current one the Tiguan Nospace? I'll be here all week.